I keep a very well kept house but, I dont have interior design skills at all. My house is very kid friendly and warm and inviting. I have a couch that I consider to be kid friendly in the fact that they can build a fort from the cushions, and the covers come off and are washable. It was a cheap couch and I am not going to loose sleep over the little things that go wrong when you have kids. But I also have rules for the house that help keep it running smooth and mostly clean. We dont eat anywhere but at the table. It keeps stains from happening and finger prints being all over everything. My kids also have to ask before they get anything to eat. I dont keep anything but my bill catcher and my veggie bins on the counters. I clean as I go especially when cooking. Toys are contained to one room. No toys in the bedrooms so they stay very clean. There is only beds and dressers in rooms with the exception of my oldest having a bookshelf and her instruments in there. When clothes are taken off they get put directly into the correct bin according to colors. I wash dry and fold on a certain day, and I stay on top of it. Our washer and dryer are also upstairs with the bedrooms so it makes it easier. My kids have a crap ton of toys, but they pick them up as soon as they get done playing. Everything in my house has a bin, drawer, cabinet, shelf, or container it belongs in. Now if you go in my garage first you would assume I am a slob because it is a disaster in there, but that is my husband's responsibility. So you can have a clean house, that is kid friendly, and inviting for others. Honestly I have not seen one house on here that I consider to be even like 1% bad as far as being dirty.

I have to ask- do some of you seriously put your coffe makers/rosters/etc away every day?? I do not like clutter on my kitchen counters, but I don't consider these things clutter..

I leave my coffee maker, utensil canister, and spice rack out all the time. I keep the rest stashed. The only other thing that lives on my counter top is on the left side of ky sink the space isn't big enough to prep stuff so I have a mini lamp and two photos in wooden frames along with a discreet key jar.

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Married to a wonderful Husband Mommy to DS *02-13-2011*, support extedned BFing Out of dipes but still love my stash and happy baby/toddler wearing family!!!

We have a fruit basket, coffee maker and toaster oven on the counter. We used to have our spice thing too but DH fit it in our weird pantry. Oh, and our silverware tray because the drawer broke. Otherwise we try to keep the counters very cleared off!

So, say you use a kitchenaid mixer 1-2 times a week? You put it away after each use??? Those things are heavy. We seriously have so many things on the counters . . . microwave, coffee maker, food processor, pens in a cup, rice maker, ka mixer, toaster, and tons of mail and misc toys. We still keep a lot of toddler toys in the kitchen too.

So, say you use a kitchenaid mixer 1-2 times a week? You put it away after each use??? Those things are heavy. We seriously have so many things on the counters . . . microwave, coffee maker, food processor, pens in a cup, rice maker, ka mixer, toaster, and tons of mail and misc toys. We still keep a lot of toddler toys in the kitchen too.

I use my kitchenaid easily 4 times a week, and I put it away. But, I did make a spot in the cupboard for it directly under where it goes on the counter, so it doesn't go far. They are heavy!

I LOVE the look of clear countertops, but it does not happen here. Regular inhabitants of our counter are the coffee maker, the toaster, the knife block, a huge blue jug of potable water, our kettle (which I could put away after every use...), one or two pitchers of water, the compost bucket, an egg basket, the radio/iPod dock, sourdough starter, fruit bowl and generally one pile of "stuff."

So, say you use a kitchenaid mixer 1-2 times a week? You put it away after each use??? Those things are heavy. We seriously have so many things on the counters . . . microwave, coffee maker, food processor, pens in a cup, rice maker, ka mixer, toaster, and tons of mail and misc toys. We still keep a lot of toddler toys in the kitchen too.

The only thing on my counters is a knife block and my Dolce Gusto coffee maker, I use the Kitchen Aid every other day and it always goes back in the cupboard. I have a huge corner lower cabinet that houses my crock pot, griddle, toaster, Kitchen aid mixer, and almost all other appliances. The toaster, mixer, and crock pot are front and center and really easy to access. I have a TON of counter space too and most of it is available to use. It's really a pet peeve of mine to have cluttered counter. What's the point of counter space if you can't use it because it's covered with appliances, junk mail, and office supplies?

So, say you use a kitchenaid mixer 1-2 times a week? You put it away after each use??? Those things are heavy. We seriously have so many things on the counters . . . microwave, coffee maker, food processor, pens in a cup, rice maker, ka mixer, toaster, and tons of mail and misc toys. We still keep a lot of toddler toys in the kitchen too.

I use my kitchen aid at least that many times. I also have a wheat mill and Electrolux DLX that I use 1-2 times per week. They all live in the cabinet right below my working area. I just pick it up and put it right in, and shut the door.

The only things that live on my kitchen counters are : the knife block, a candle, a spoon rest that holds salt and pepper shakers, soap (although that's technically on the sink), and a toaster and coffee maker.

A part of me loves clean kitchen counters. LOVES it, so does my DH. But we do use things daily and I barely have enough time in the morning to get myself ready and my ASD son and then get to work/school.
I have my utensil caddy which of course is used daily multiple times, as well as my Keurig, my toaster, my cutting boards and my canister set.